SFNet’s Asset-Based Capital Conference returns to the Encore at the Wynn in Las Vegas February 11-12, 2025. Attendees will hear up-to-date market insights from industry leaders, thought-provoking discussions around the economy and industry dynamics, and networking opportunities with key decision makers.

“Come to ABCC (now in its 17^th year) for the opportunity to meet and hear from leaders in middle-market leveraged finance and asset-based lending,” said Barry Bobrow, Asset-Based Capital Conference Chair and managing director - head of Credit Markets, Regions Business Capital. “Get the insights you need to start your year.”

“ABCC has become flat out the premier event for the middle-market asset-based finance world,” added Rich Gumbrecht, CEO, SFNet. “The quality of this year’s programming, from the expert state of the capital markets assessment, to key trends in private credit, to critical policy perspectives, to our unique and fascinating keynote speaker, and access to key decision makers and thought leaders in a concentrated setting, make this meeting one of a kind.”

The Conference will feature Committee meetings on Tuesday, February 11, as well as all-day networking and table-top exhibits. From 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm, lunch will feature keynote speaker Michael Chrome, SVP, chief financial officer, Las Vegas Raiders. Chrome possesses more than two decades of leadership experience in accounting, financial analysis and strategic planning, forecasting and business analytics. Hear his fascinating story and illuminating take on commercial finance across sports, hospitality and entertainment. 

Following a networking break will be the Opportunities and Challenges in the Non-Bank Asset-Based Lending Market panel. While much of the dollar volume in SFNet’s 2023 Market Sizing Study came from large syndicated transactions primarily funded by banks, the vast majority of the actual deals came from sole lender transactions, many of which are provided by a wide range of non-bank asset-based lenders. The non-bank lending market has grown and evolved significantly through the post-pandemic period. This panel includes leaders of several leading non-bank asset-based lenders, including Supremna Cole, Managing Director, Wells Fargo Capital Finance as moderator, and panelists. Marty Battaglia, Chief Executive Officer, Eclipse Business Capital; Meredith Carter, President and CEO, Edge Capital; and Mitch Drucker, Partner, Ares Commercial Finance and James Garlick, Head of Corporate Finance, Wingspire Capital, who will give their perspectives on the non-bank asset-based lending market, credit quality, fund raising and the competition with banks.

“Panel attendees will gain a better appreciation for the opportunities and challenges confronting non-bank lenders in sourcing and evaluating companies that have migrated away from the commercial bank ABL market,” said Drucker.

Lender on Lender Violence Turns Up the Heat will follow. Over the past decade there has been increasing incidences of companies seeking to preserve value and access incremental financing by pitting their various classes of lenders against each other. They have often done this by seeking to exploit various provisions in their credit agreements. With the magnitude of debt that may need to be restructured in the next few years, and the value at stake for equity holders and lenders, the incidence of these “liability management” transactions is likely to increase over the next few years. These transactions will undoubtedly test new approaches in response to documentation changes and legal developments. This panel will explore the major recent trends in these transactions and panelists will provide their best guess on the future development of these strategies.

Julia Frost-Davies, Partner, Greenberg Traurig LLP will be the moderator.
Panelists will include Zoltan Donovan, Managing Director - Tradeable Credit, First Eagle Alternative Credit, LLC; Surbhi Gupta, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey; Mark Silva, Partner, Choate Hall & Stewart LLP; Tim Tobin, Managing Director, Capital One; and Aparna Yenamandra, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis.

The day will conclude with the Opening Reception.

ABCC Capital Markets Extravaganza – 2025,sponsored by Bank of America, will kick offWednesday’s panels.This panel of capital markets professionals will evaluate the growth of direct lending and discuss other trends and their impact as 2025 begins. Barry Bobrow, Managing Director and Head of Credit Markets, Regions Business Capital, will serve as moderator and panelists will include Maria Dikeos, Global Head of Loans Contributions, LSEG LPC; John Gregory, Head of Fixed Income, Citizens Capital Markets and Advisory; Lisa Hanson, Senior Vice President, Bank of America; and Darryl Kuriger, Managing Director, Wells Fargo Securities.

“Both public and private debt markets were able to take advantage of favorable credit and interest rate environments and had very high levels of activity in 2024,” said Bobrow. “Our panel will provide their thoughts on how these markets interact with each other and also provide their thoughts on how markets will behave in 2025 and beyond.”

With restructurings increasing and the costs of bankruptcy rising, asset-based lenders’ understanding of their collateral position is ever more important. Since the height of the pandemic there have been material changes—sometimes rapid—in certain asset values. The How's Our Collateral Coverage? panel of professionals, with deep experience in valuing assets, reviewing appraisals, and conducting liquidations will discuss the causes of the changes as well as the impact they are having on lenders, appraisers, and borrowers. They will also discuss changes the asset-based lending industry should consider to better protect their positions so as not only mitigate losses, but also ensure repayment in full.

Michele Riccobono, Managing Director, Wells Fargo, will moderate and panelists will include Scott Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer, B Riley Retail Solutions; Rick Edwards, Head of North America Retail, Gordon Brothers; Ian Fredericks, Chief Executive Officer, Hilco Consumer – Retail; Michael McGrail, Chief Operating Officer, Tiger Capital Group.

The Luncheon Panel - Economic and Policy Update,sponsored by Goldberg Kohn, will featurean economist and two political consultants, who will provide their analysis of the current outlook for both economics and policy under the start of a new administration.

In addition, the new administration will have its own perspective on major policies impacting banks and the broader financial markets with a high focus on anti-trust policy. Laura Jakubowski, Director of Knowledge Management and Innovation, Goldberg Kohn, will serve as moderator.  Panelists will include Seth Bloom, President, Bloom Strategic Counsel PLLC; Lon Goldstein, President, Goldstein Policy Solutions; and Michael Skordeles, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Economics, Truist Wealth.

“As we begin 2025 with significant changes in Washington, the U.S. policy landscape is set for significant realignment. Key regulatory appointments and the attendant shifts in priorities will have an impact on the financial industry, particularly as it pertains to bank capital requirements, merger activity, housing financing, and trade activity. The first quarter of 2025 will be particularly pivotal as initial executive and legislative actions will set the tone for the rest of the administration. The potential for tax cuts, deregulation, and improved business sentiment will counter risks such as tariffs, immigration-related labor constraints, and fiscal imbalances. On the economic front, we anticipate steady growth on shifting ground for the U.S. economy, which should remain the shining country on the global stage. The recovery will turn five early in 2025, and the evidence suggests that the U.S. is in a mid-cycle transition with expected growth near 2.5%, in-line with the pre-COVID average. Policy uncertainty remains elevated, however. Join our panel as we discuss key challenges and opportunities in the current political and economic climate, and how they will impact financial services providers and their clients,” said Jakubowski and Skordeles.

Private Credit in High Gear,sponsored by White Oak Commercial Finance, willdiscuss the rapid growth, recent structure and fund-raising innovations of private credit, and the overall complexities surrounding private credit as an asset class as it seeks to continue its rapid growth. Several leading banks have recently announced alliances with private credit managers, another sign of rapid growth and evolution.

“The private credit market continues to be the high growth story of the year,” said Moderator Holly Etlin, partner, Alix Partners. “The panel will explore where the market is today and how it is evolving, private vs. direct lending, key issuers and relative market share, securitization and other evolving topics.”

Ted Koenig, President & CEO, Monroe Capital LLC; Curt Lueker, Managing Director and Head of Direct Lending, Marathon Asset Management; Tom Otte, Chief Executive Officer, White Oak Capital Finance; and Jason Van Dussen, Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Capital Markets, Golub, will round out the panelists.

The day will conclude with a networking breakand the popular Joint Reception with TMA's Distressed Investing Conference, sponsored by Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs, LLP, Siena Lending Group and White Oak Commercial Finance.

To register for ABCC, please click here.